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Saturday, December 28, 2013

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews to showcase all the books we got in the past week. Those can be bought, won, gifted, for review, borrowed, print or ebooks... no matter, just share what you got :)

Hey guys! I didn't do a StS last week, so this week there are a couple more books than usual :) I hope everyone had a great Christmas/solstice/whatever other holiday you celebrate and that you could spend some quality time with your family and relax! I got some cool stuff myself - my sister gave me this awesome cup,

and a set of Game of Thrones poker cards! They have the major characters on them as well as the mottoes of the great families and the design and paper are just beautiful :D
But here's to the books:

Thanks so much to Caro from The Book Rogue for the copy of Reckless! It was an awesome Christmas surprise :) The book of poems I got from my uncle, who also gave me two other books, one from 1843 and the other from 1873. I'll show you those another time.

I've already read Shadowfever (borrowed from a friend) but now the right edition was on sale so I had to complete my collection. I can't wait to read The Fiery Heart and finally give Under the Never Sky a try!

Poison Princess almost didn't happen for me. I wasn't impressed by the kindle excerpt, but I gave the 17 chapter preview a try and ended up falling for the story! It was definitely worth it in the end. A Song For Julia was free, and I've wanted it ever since reading an excerpt a long time ago. JLA + gargoyles was a no-brainer, Fracture Me I would've gotten sooner or later anyway, and Pentimento was free, too.

So yeah. I've got a lot of great reading ahead ;) What do you think of my haul? And what did you get for Christmas and for your shelves?

This is the last day of the Top 10 of 2013 , and I'm kinda sad it's over already :( I liked going back over what I've read this year, and checking out everyone else's lists! Anyway, here's the last topic of this year's event...

Top Ten Books I'm looking forward to in 2014

Well, actually I've already done this list as part of Top Ten Tuesday. You can see what I picked back then here.
So now I get the chance to feature some more books that didn't make the
list a couple weeks ago, though my top two picks here are old ones that
I just couldn't bear not mentioning again.

If the cover's not pictured, there isn't one yet.

The Retribution of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #3), by Michelle Hodkin
Well. As I said in the earlier post, book 2 was a game changer, and in book 3 I want revenge. I want a certain someone dead, and I want to know what's up with the whole frame narrative. More Noah/Mara wouldn't hurt either. Just gimme the bloody book already! ;)

Oblivion (Nevermore #3), by Kelly Creagh
Well. I expect more heartache, more amazing Poe references, mystery, and I'm still kind of hoping for a sorta-happy ending for Isobel and Varen. Please? And the wonderful writing. Can't forget that.

Cruel Beauty, by Rosamund Hodge
I'm almost finished with it, and I tell you guys - you really really need to get it when it comes out in late January! It's soooo good, and I love the mixture of fairytales, Greek mythology, and various other lore.

Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3), by Tahereh Mafi
I haven't read Unravel Me yet, but I know once I do, I'll be pining for book 3.

Hunting the Dark (Moth #2), by Karen Mahoney
I really like Mahoney's take on vampires and Moth as a character! There isn't a cover or description yet though, even though the book is supposed to come out in February :/

The Cure for Dreaming, by Cat Winters
"At the turn of the 20th century, a seventeen-year-old is hypnotized into seeing people's true selves. Illustrated with late-Victorian images."
After the wonderful writing and the fitting images in In the Shadow of Blackbirds, I can't wait to see another supernatural historical by Cat Winters!

The Forever Song (Blood of Eden #3), by Julie Kagawa
After what happened to Zeke at the end of book 2, the wait for book 3 seems very long! I can't wait to see Allie go into full-on pissed-off vampire mode though! I also already miss Kanin's quiet presence and Jackal's sarcasm.

Unwept (The Nightbirds #1), by Tracy and Laura Hickman
This one is still fairly new to me, but the promise of an unearthly killer and the mixture of thriller and (maybe) paranoia as Ellis tries to remember what happened to her has my full attention! The setting and group dynamics will also be interesting to observe. Plus, just look at that pretty cover :)

The King Killer Chronicle #3, by Patrick Rothfuss
At least I heard it's coming out in 2014. No cover or title yet, though. I've yet to read The Wise Man's Fear, but hey... at least the wait for book 3 will be shorter ;)

Well... the rules are that the book boyfriends need to be from books not only read in 2013, but also released in 2013. The released in 2013 part really sucks, because there are so many awesome guys I read this year but are from older books. I'm going to cheat and add one of them as my top book boyfriend but not as part of the list. And the honor goes to...

Noah Shaw, from the Mara Dyer series by Michelle Hodkin
Why? He's not only incredibly smart but also, from the description, more my type than most of the guys you see in YA. He's not all bulky, he's lean. He's also effortlessly graceful and dead sexy. Did I mention that his room is basically one giant library? As in all the walls are bookshelves? He reads philosophic/literary theory for fun. He's got a wicked sense of humor. And I just love him paired up with Mara, I think they mesh very well.

Okay, now on with the official list!

Tod Hudson, from the Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent
I'm so glad I read With All My Soul this year, otherwise I couldn't have picked Tod and that would've sucked. He's a reaper, he has a room/apartment that is basically an impenetrable fortress, he's caring, he's willing to do anything for those he loves, and he's a sarcastic smartass. He can also make me swoon with the things he says to Kaylee, when worded by anyone else it would have made me roll my eyes.

Four/Tobias, from the Divergent series by Veronica Roth
I must admit that my favorite Tobias is the one from Divergent. He's had to go through so much, but there is an inner strength about him that is steely but kind. I think he's also very well-balanced and not prone to extremes. He thinks all factions have merit. I just like that he's such a complex character with both great strengths and flaws.

Adrian Ivashkov, from the Bloodlines / Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead
Oh Adrian. When I first met you years ago in the VA books, I couldn't stand you at first. Then your vulnerability and sarcasm wormed their way into my heart. By the end, I ached for you having to pay the price for Dimitri and Rose's happiness. But now I think you're better paired with Sidney anyway. And how could I not crush on the guy who is both artistically gifted and touched by madness?

Will Herondale, from the Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare
Dear Will. You tumble from one extreme to the next, and I hurt for you so much when you found out that all those years of trying to make others despise you and believing to never be loved in return... were in vain. And to be torn between the love for a boy who is like a brother and the girl you'd like to spend your life with... it's cruel. As you can be cruel. But you've got the best one-liners. And you got the right ending for yourself in the end.

Gavriel, from Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black
Centuries old and mad as a hatter a lot of the time. Gentile. Tortured. Kind. Mysterious. A very strange romance, but one I rooted for nevertheless. Also, that novel contained my favorite kiss of the year. I'll give you an extract from the scene, after Tana bit herself on purpose to give him the taste of something forbidden. I guess it's a spoiler for one of the best bits of the book though, so read at your own discretion...

He groaned at the taste of it, eyes going wide with surprise and something like fear. [...] He'd been careful before, but he wasn't careful now as he licked her mouth; and it amazed her as much as it terrified her. He kissed her ferociously, savagely, their lips sliding together with bruising fervor. [...] Her fingers dug into the muscles of his back, their bodies pressed so close that he must have felt every hitch in her breath, every shuddering beat of her heart. And as scared of him as she had been, right then she was more frightened of herself. Gavriel reeled back from her, lips ruddy. He wiped his mouth against the back of his hand, her blood smearing over his skin. Gazing at her for a long moment with something like horror, as though he was seeing her for the first time, he spoke. "You are more dangerous than daybreak."-page 160

Morpheus, from Splintered by A.G. Howard
I know, I featured him on my villain list yesterday. But he's also my book boyfriend. I think I have a problem: I can't fall for a guy if he's not also a bit dangerous, if I can't also resent him a bit at the same time. And well... Morpheus is perfect for that. He's also physically my type. Let's not even talk about his magical powers and killer fashion sense. He's also a bit mad, like most Netherlanders. He could be chaos walking. And I guess we've already established that I go for the mad ones... in books, at least.

Lucas, from Easy by Tammara Webber
Okay, this may be a little cheating. Easy was self-pubbed in 2012, but the Penguin re-release was in January 2013. So that counts. I really like how Lucas is so much more than the 'bad boy' Jacqueline first thought he was. He's caring, loyal strong, scarred. I also really like how respectfully he treats women. And he's very smart, too. What's not to like?

Chaol, from Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
I was really torn between Chaol and Dorian in Throne of Glass, but Chaol won my heart in Crown of Midnight. I really like the relationship dynamics between him and Caelena. He's strong, loyal to a fault, and caring. He's also determined and protective.Fear, from Some Quiet Place by Kelsey Sutton
I have a thing for figures who are the embodiment of an abstract concept. Death, Fear... keep them coming! Fear is provocative and maybe a little cruel... but he's got his reasons for what he does. And he loves fiercely, too. Also, that power he wields. I can't help a morbid fascination with it. I hope there'll be more of him in the next book.

Will, from Dance of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin
I was suspicious of him, but only in the very beginning of the book. Then I forgave him, because I think I would have acted the same at the end of book 1. Again, someone who cares selflessly for those important to him. He's a great support for Araby and he helps those less fortunate than him when he can. He's very protective of his younger siblings, and as someone who'd do anything for her sister, I empathize with that.

So... that's it. Do we have any book guy crushes in common? Is there someone you despised? I know I tend to go for the mad, broken, screwed up ones... ^^'' What were some of your own favorites this year?

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Today we have a couple of topics to choose from, and I've decided to highlight my favorite bad guys. Because we all know they can be intriguing in their own right ;)
I must admit though that it wasn't that easy to actually identify books that had a villain! In quite many I've read this year, the adversary is either abstract (poverty, a fear, the character's situation), or a whole society system or some other intangible ideological thing. A real, charismatic villain? Not that easy to find... especially when it comes to lady villains!

There is no particular order. And sorry, but not links/covers today. I'm at my netbook, which is reaaaaally sloooooow and gets hung up all the time. Yesterday I was putting in covers and links (only that) for more than an hour!

Best villains I've read in 2013

The Darkling - Shadow and Bone, by Leigh Bardugo
He is very alluring, mysterious and sexy. And for a long time, I wasn't sure if he's a villain. I didn't want him to be. I'm still not sure he truly is one - I haven't read Siege and Storm yet - but he is cast that way in Shadow and Bone. Can't wait to read more of him.

Warner - Shatter Me, by Tahereh Mafi
What a sick, possessive guy! Very intelligent, but also completely ruthless and due to his upbringing, kind of a psycho. The way he treats Juliette like he owns her made me so mad. he certainly follows the Machiavellian idea that it's better to be feared than loved. Destroy Me let me understand him a bit better, but I still don't understand how some people ship him with Juliette.

Morpheus - Splintered, by A.G. Howard
Is he friend or foe? That's what kept me at the tip of my toes in Splintered. He clearly cares for Alyssa, but he's also a schemer and follows his own agenda. I found him compelling, creepy, and I love his sense of style. There's this jouissance about him that I love to read about.The Godking - Night Angel Trilogy, by Brent Weeks
Very powerful figure, that guy. Whenever Kylar or Durzo thought they had him pinned... they didn't. His magic is basically all-powerful, he has no respect for women or life in general, and his greed (for land, for power, for cruelty) is basically unparalleled. Definitely a chilling guy.Sarren - The Eternity Cure, by Julie Kagawa
Sick old psycho vampire with a grudge, who's got his hands on a character I care about. Need I say more? With the ending, whenever I thought it couldn't get worse... it did.

The King - Throne of Glass / Crown of Midnight, by Sarah J. Maas
I don't remember if we know his name? I don't particularly care. It's his position that makes him dangerous. He's cruel, thirsting for power, and shrewd. He's strong both physically and with his skill in black magic. He's not just a danger to Caelena but to all of Adarlan.

Prince Prospero - Dance of the Red Death, by Bethany Griffin
I seem to have a thing for evil royal villains this year... Prospero is another one that makes torture into entertainment. It's also about his more subtle threats though, and what he's done/doing to his own people. Let's not even talk about the way he treats his own family and how he broke Elliott in his childhood.

Avari - With All My Soul, by Rachel Vincent
Avari is a great villain throughout the series. He's both strong and smart, and hella determined to get what he wants. And yet he is not completely repulsive but strangely... fascinating.

Death - Poison Princess, by Kresley Cole
He's domineering and omni-present in Evie's head, even though they don't meet in real life. I've always had a fascination with representations of Death in literature, and he's feeding my addiction. He's centuries old, lethal, cunning... and endlessly patient.

Tatiana - Flesh and Blood, by Kristen Painter
Evil, ambitious vampire bitch. She's the kind of character that is almost overdone in her vileness, so you can just love to hate her. As you've maybe noticed, I tend to develop a kind of sympathy for the devil villain or siding with the underdog thing... but not with her. And sometimes it's great to be able to just despise a character. Besides, the ladies are seriously underrepresented on this list...

Runners-up: Demian - The Stone Demon, by Karen Mahoney
Because he's a demon king and even though he's clearly bad news, he's also compelling and a great addition to the trilogy.

The Queen - The Pledge, by Kimberly Derting
Her power is creepy! And she's definitely playing the long game. I was afraid of her when I read her.

The aliens - The 5th Wave, by Rick Yancey
Because they know just where our weaknesses are and they're not afraid to use them. Also, they are so hard to detect! Makes you paranoid.

Have you read any of those books and if so, do you agree with my assessment of villainy? I'm also curious what topics other people chose, so link me up!

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Again, this was really hard, though not as hard as I had feared. There are quite a few beautiful covers I haven't included though, partly because I think they'll be getting enough exposure elsewhere and partly because I've already featured many of those books (and their covers) elsewhere.I have read most of the following ones, though not all of them. There is no particular hierarchy to the covers.

If you haven't signed up yet and would like to participate, I think you can still do so as long as you post today! Just click one of the links above and enter the linky.

Today's topic is about the best books we've read in 2013, no matter whether they were released this year or not.

You guys, this is so hard >.< I was very lucky with my reading this year, though I'm embarrassed by how few reviews of those amazing books I've posted *sinks through floor in shame*

Alright, I had to make three lists. One for YA paranormal/fantasy, one for contemporary, and one for adult books. All books are listed in no particular order

YA paranormal/fantasy/dystopian

Divergent - Veronica Roth
Better late than never, right? I started the series in January and I was blown away!! The wait till October was very long... but also very much worth it! Still, I think Divergent remains my favorite of the trilogy. I felt so... alive, while I was reading it.

The Replacement - Brenna Yovanoff
This has been part of a ton of my Top Ten Tuesday posts this year! But I loved it soooo much. It's got sticky notes all over it. It was so sad, it made me ache. And cry. I just felt with Mackie so much. I'm definitely re-reading this one in 2014!

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown - Holly Black
I already loved the short story with the same title, and when I heard there'd be a book, I was beyond excited! I just love Holly Black's prose, and she delivered once more. So many fantastic passages, as well as one of my favorite kisses of the year. I find the entangling of desire and disgust, fear and longing, debauchery and decay that I see in all of her books incedibly alluring.

The Name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss
I gave this to a friend for her birhtday, and after she read it, she demanded I do, too. There was a part that was a bit slow, but overall I was blown away and my love for epic fantasy is rekindled. I've got the second one on my shelf and I'm so glad book 3 will be released next year! You can read my review here.

The Pledge - Kimberly Derting
This one was a total surprise! I didn't expect to love it quite so much, I was mostly drawn in by the combination of dystopia and different languages for every class in that society (me being a Lit student and all). It was sooo good though! I had so many characters pegged wrong, and I loved it.

Crown of Midnight - Sarah J. Maas
I read Throne of Glass in January, but that book had some flaws for me. All the little bits I had thought weak were gone in Crown of Midnight. I loved the world building, the twists, the character development, the overall plot. It was simply fantastic.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer - Michelle Hodkin
I had put this one of for forever! Why?? I read it in one day! And it's got over 500 pages. Mara is one of my favorite heroines, and I love her with Noah. Also, it was so interesting to be in the mind of a somewhat unreliable character - made the whole thing really creepy. Book 3 needs to come out already! How am I supposed to wait another 6 months?!

Shadow and Bone - Leigh Bardugo
Another one I started late. But the world building, again - fantastic. And the Darkling? One of my favorite and most fascinating characters of the year. Siege & Storm needs to be out in the right edition for me to add to my collection already!

In the Shadow of Blackbirds - Cat Winters
Such a beautiful combination of historical and paranormal! It's sad and creepy, with heart-warming parts. The writing is incredibly beautiful, and I love that there are pictures of photographs taken around that time in there - photography being such an important theme. I'm very curious to see what Cat Winters will publish next!

Clockwork Princess - Cassandra Clare
Oh, Will and Tessa. I was both anticipating and dreading the conclusion to the Infernal Devices, since I like them better than the Mortal Instruments. I really loved the book - apart from the epilogue. I still can't decide whether I like that or not. Overall, I expected to hurt more than I did. I mean, I did cry... but Clockwork Prince had me prepared for more pain. I think my series-favorite here is book 2.

I'm surprised that they're rather well-balanced! 4 2013 releases, 6 from earlier. To be fair, 10 just isn't enough. There were a lot of fantastic new releases that just couldn't make the list. Embarrassingly though, only one of these I actually reviewed. If I love a book that much, reviewing seems such a daunting thing :/

For Real - Chelsea M. Cameron
I got this one on a whim and it was so worth it! It was loads of fun, the characters were fantastic and for once, I really loved the way the romance and the depiction of college life were done! I think there will be more books, but it can also stand on its own.

Some Girls Are - Courtney Summers
One of the most psychologically punch-packing books I've read this year. I had a hard time identifying with the protagonist at first, but when her torment started... no one deserves that. And I wanted her to stand up and destroy her enemies. The romance-y parts were also very complex, and it deals with a lot of teen (and adult) issues like bullying, rape, suicide.

Crash Into You - Katie McGarry
I wanted Isaiah's story ever since we got to meet him in Pushing the Limits! Really loved reading from his point of view and getting a glimpse at his head. I won't say much more here because my review is still forthcoming.

Looking For Alaska - John Green
My first John Green book. Lovely, lovey prose! Unusual characters. The pranks were awesome. I kind of already knew what would happen, but it still hit me like a surprise, as if I didn't. Definitely reading more John Green in the future.

Easy - Tammara Webber
One of my favorite NA books I've read this year. It's hard to write a romance that I can really get behind, but I did with this one! Again, lots of important issues tackled - this one is definitely more than just a piece of fluff. I hear there's a book from Lucas' POV coming, and I'm very curious about that!

Losing It - Cora Carmack
I laughed until I cried. Seriously, this was so much fun! The embarrassing parts were so that I could still get through them without too much... pain (I have a hard time reading/watching embarrassing things. It feels awful. But here it was still funny, too).

The Sea of Tranquility - Katja Millay
Another heavy book, but with beautiful writing and a wonderful story. I can't put this into words here, but I did (or at least tried) in my review.

Just One Day - Gayle Forman
Another one that made me cry, but it also made me very happy and determined to travel more. After reading that, I dove right into If I Stay, and then I bought Where She Went the next day and read the whole thing. That's how good Gayle Forman is.

If I Stay- Gayle Forman
See above. Also, one of the best book-families I've read! Which makes what happens all the sadder.

Perks of Being a Wallflower - by Stephen Chbosky
I saw the movie first, and I think it's perfect. But the book provided a lot more details that were sort of glossed over in the movie, and I think that in the movie, you don't really understand just how bad Charlie is really off, emotionally.

Fever Series - Karen Marie Moning
At first, Mac was not my kinda heroine. But the whole Barrons thing and the Dublin setting and the fae kept me intrigued. Then, from book 3 onwards, it's pure awesomeness! I read them all pretty consecutively. Don't know how people survived the wait between books.

A Discovery of Witches - Deborah Harkness
My friend bugged me to read it for a year before I gave in - fantastic book! I loved the academic setting and the history. The romance didn't hurt, either.

Night Angel Trilogy - Brent Weeks
This whole thing is more than 1500 pages fat. And I read it in one week. That should tell you how utterly fantastic, cruel, beautiful, harrowing, well-written and... everything it is. Seriously, if you read one epic fantasy in 2014 - read this one.

Blood Rights - Kristen Painter
I thought vampires had 'been done', but Kristen Painter makes it new! The world buidling and the whole vampire and commarré society in these books are amazing! I really need to get the third one.

Debt Collector - Susan Kaye Quinn
This one is a self-published serial, and it's a mixture of science fiction and noir. It's very addictive! Very dark, too. And gritty. Needless to say, I just gobbled it up... I read about 5 of those stories in one day because I just couldn't stop.

Graceling - Kristin Cashore
Another one I'm late to the party for. Not sure if this could be YA, but it felt more adult to me. The plot was a bit predictable sometimes, but I loved the characters and the way the romance developed. Katsa is one of my favorite heroines of the year.

Blackbirds - Chuck Wendig
Dark and disturbing. It's been a while since I've read a good horror novel, and Chuck Wendig defnitely made me appreciate them again! I love me some good cussing, too - and there's plenty of that in this book. I still have many questions though, so I'll need to get the next one soon.

No runners-up here, because a) I didn't read that many adult books this year, and b) I kind of cheated and put in whole serieses instead of singular books. But since I read the entire series in 2013, and I think that still counts.

This was soooo hard! Have you read any of your picks? Did you like them? Also, if you're participating in the event, please leave a link so I can check out your post :)

anticipated books

FTC Disclaimer:

I don't know if I actually need one of those since I'm not a US blogger, but here goes: the books I review here were mostly paid for by myself, though I also receive e-copies via NetGalley. No matter how I got them, my reviews always represent my honest opinion and I do not nor will I ever accept financial compensation for them.